Getting invited to go to Vero Beach with some of our favorite people is the highlight of our year! My boys LOVE hanging out with Uncle Matt and Aunt Amy (as do we), and we all LOVE hanging out at Vero Beach!

We always have a relaxing-blast! And yes… it IS possible for us to have both at the same time. We are not high energy vacationers! We don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of popular places and we certainly don’t enjoy maneuver around large crowds. So a kick back few days at the beach with easy going friends is the ticket!

However, the two days before we left I was questioning my sanity on the whole endeavor. I had a time of it getting everything packed up and ready to go, make sure all the critters were lined up to be taken care of, get the car ready to roll, and clean out the fridge so as not to have a science experiment when we got back. The hubby was out of town for three days and was getting home the night before we left. My dryer broke, and we had more stuff than would fit in the car… unless of course we left some kids home! That not being an option… I was very happy that my darling neighbors lent me their big luggage container that fits on top of the car. Thank you SO much for that John and Debra! It truly was a life-saver. So, I survived the preparations… but now I wasn’t sure about the trip!

The morning we set off was an interesting adventure all on it’s own. I think I have blocked most of it… since I was headed to a good place… I could let it all go on the drive down… but here is what one of my friends texted (text or texted… that one confuses me!) me after I sent her a short message saying that I would need some serious therapy after getting everyone out the door.

“Mobilizing five guys? Unless you have 72 virgins, 30 hot dogs, half a dozen new video games and a mud hole in the car, it would take a near miracle!”

Well, I had a miracle I guess! We got out the door within four minutes of my ETD (Estimated Time of Departure), but not with all my marbles… I was a bit undone to say the least.

A few miles down the road… I had stuffedblockedrecovered from the “Aaaa, you’re being a little tense don’t ya think?” comment followed by a sarcastic chuckle and looking forward to having dinner inVero at seven with Matt and Amy.

(Listen… herding boysmenguys is like herding cats. And I am the first one to admit that I was tense. And with GOOD REASON darn-it. I’d be fine too if all I had to do was pack for me and jump in the car! I was anxious and tired… never a good combination. The tables would turn later when we hit traffic.)

We played musical chairs and moved around several times, but we all did real well with tempers and attitudes… considering the space. (I even took my turn back there where Harris is… claustrophobia and all! And they all said I would only last five minutes… I showed them.) Daddy did real well with all of the traffic. He only cussed once. At least audibly! Then JJ told him he should go a Learn Not to Cuss School so that he wouldn’t do that anymore. He didn’t do it again the WHOLE trip. And that is really saying something, because this 9-10 hour trip took us 13. Yes… 13. BAD traffic I tell you… bad traffic.

Each one of us dealt with the confinement in our own way…

Some chose silliness (it’s an art form he’s progressing at!),

some chose to “tune out” the world (he has his own and it’s usually a much better place.),

some can’t be ruffled no matter how bad it gets… (he’s just ridiculously easy going. Crazy frustrating some times because he only has one speed, but wonderful at others!)

And when grumbling didn’t make us go faster… still others chose to pout! (Not for long though!! He fell asleep shortly after this!)

I on the other hand did a little of all four of those. I was silly happy to be going to Vero with my family and great friends, I tuned out some fussing and gripping over being so uncomfortable, I kicked back and read a LOT, and I pouted that I didn’t get to drive until the last hour of the trip. But then I promptly fell asleep! (kidding. Not while I was driving!)

We were very late for dinner. But Uncle Matt kept it warm for us and we had some delicious spaghetti, salad and bread when we arrived!

Thank you Matt and Amy!!

(This photo of the car is the next morning… it was dark when we got there. But that’s my rig!)

I am a mother to four boys, and a teacher to the three youngest. I enjoy really KNOWING my kids and finding each of their unique talents. I went into homeschooling kicking and screaming many years ago, and you couldn't pay me to give it up now. Teaching these boys about their Savior, and making them into great Christian Warriors is my most important duty.

I am also an artist and love to create things big and small. In the way that most women can't get enough shoes, jewelry and clothes... I can never have too many art supplies! :)

Jesus is the center of our home, and there is no way I could do what I do with out the assurance that He is with me everyday. Ever since we brought Him into our home, there has been an undeniable peace here. Not that nothing goes wrong, or that we don't get sad, mad or angry. We do. But there is an underlying peace from Him that gives us the courage to keep going when the world seems to be crumbling around us.

This blog is just some of what our journey along life's path entails - as time allows, of course.

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My Little Mud Monsters!

First Birthday

(watercolor)

Chiari Malformation

I would also like to bring attention to Chiari Malformation II. A rare birth defect that causes the brainstem and cerebellum to develop down in the spinal column instead of up in the skull - where they belong. Therefore compacting the spine, brain stem, cerebellum and possibly blocking the spinal fluid.

Read the story about our son with Chiari Malformation titled Gare-Bear's Chiari Journey in the tabs above, or in the pages below.